New CDC Findings Show Protection From Booster Wanes After About Four Months
Two new studies from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show the effectiveness of booster shots for combatting the omicron variant declines substantially after four months.
The first study examines hospitalizations and emergency room and urgent care center visits in 10 states from August 2021 to Jan. 22, 2022. The second study involves data from two CDC vaccine safety monitoring systems.
Data from the two studies provides evidence that the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna booster shots are 91% effective at preventing hospitalization for two months after receiving the shot; after four months, that protection dropped to 78%; and after five months, it fell to around 31%.
Although the research is largely based on estimates, the studies still provide proof that protection from COVID-19 boosters wanes after about four months, signaling the possible need for more boosters in the future.
Already, about 91 million Americans have received a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, but according to data from the CDC most U.S. residents who are eligible for boosters still have not received them.
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